AFRICA/KENYA - President of the Bishops' Conference: "No to political divisions that undermine the country's development"

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - "The division of political leaders is a scandal. They claim to be Christians but promote the disunity of the country," said the President of the Kenyan Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Kisumu, Maurice Muhatia Makumba. In his homily for the national prayer at the Marian Shrine in Subukia (Nakuru) on October 5, Archbishop Makumba criticized Kenyan politicians who "instead of expressing the gift of unity that comes from God, express division and divide citizens." Political division, warned the President of the Bishops' Conference, undermines the country's economic development at a time when people need it most, burdened by rising prices, unemployment and rising taxes. "May the Lord touch the hearts and minds of our political leaders so that they understand what the people are asking of them. We need leaders who unite the country and not divide it to pursue their own selfish interests," he warned.
The background to Archbishop Makumba's comments is the serious rifts at the top of the State. On October 1, an 11-count impeachment procedure was initiated against Vice President Rigathi Gachagua by a member of the presidential coalition (Kenya Kwanza). This is the latest act in the months-long dispute between Gachagua and President William Ruto. The 11 charges include " insubordination" against the President and "attack on national unity" as well as conflict of interest, embezzlement and abuse of power. The motion against him states in particular that he "has inexplicably amassed a huge fortune estimated at 5.2 billion shillings (about 36 million euros) over the past two years, mainly from alleged corruption and money laundering."
Today, October 8, parliamentarians are expected to debate the motion to impeach Gachagua. A total of 291 parliamentarians, more than the 117 required by the Constitution, have signed the motion. Kenyan President William Ruto, meanwhile, has not yet publicly commented on the impeachment process, while in the first days of his presidency he said he would not publicly humiliate his deputy, alluding to the difficult relationship he had with his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta during his second term. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 8/10/2024)

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